There are actually 2 types of lift trucks, based mostly on whether or not they run on gas or electricity:
Internal Combustion or IC Forklifts: The IC forklift would run on fuels such as liquid propane, gas, diesel or compressed natural gas or CNG. Gas powered models are great for outdoor use because they emit gases and pollutants which are harmful to workers and pedestrians. Units which run on gasoline are also great to be used in the rain and in bad weather. These models can lift weights roughly 15,000 to 35,000 pounds. Because of the fuel expenses and maintenance, the gas powered models are much more costly to use than models that run on electricity, however, they cost much less up front than the electric models. The liquid propane units are the right option to be utilized indoors.
Electric Lift Trucks: Electric lift trucks take batteries which require frequent charging. As these models do not burn any fuel, there are no emissions polluting the air with these machinery. They are the best option for indoor use and warehouses. Furthermore, electric lift trucks are much quieter to run compared to other models and they do not need any fuel storage units. Among the downsides of electric powered units is that they could not carry cargo more than 15,000 pounds and thus, have a slower acceleration than the units which use gasoline.
Forklifts are specially made to easily and quickly move heavy loads with simplicity. As the case with most types of equipments, unfortunately, forklift accidents do occur on a regular basis. There are some safety rules that must be followed to be able to keep everyone safe. The most important problem is recruiting a qualified operator, who will be able to show you a valid forklift license.
There are many different kinds of forklifts offered on the market. Choosing which one is best for your specific requirements would be based on the type of environment your equipment would have to operate in, for example, indoors or outdoors or both and what types of loads that you need to transport. Once you know your specific needs, it will be easy to match up to the right type of lift truck. When you understand all your requirements exactly you could make an accurate decision.
Renting is one more good way to try out various models if you want to try out different features and see what type of choices are available. This is a cheaper way to determine if the machine you have selected can keep up with you on the job site.